Coach Cal Countdown: It’s the most painful loss in Memphis history. And it hurts for a whole new reason today.
Memphis' Derrick Rose (23) covers his face in front of Kansas' Sherron Collins (4) and Mario Chalmers, left, late in the overtime period of the championship game at the NCAA college basketball Final Four in San Antonio on April 7, 2008. Kansas won 75-68. (Eric Gay/AP file, photo illustration by Kelsey Bowen/The Daily Memphian)
As the city prepares to celebrate John Calipari and his former Tigers as part of the Hoops for St. Jude Tip Off Classic preseason game, The Daily Memphian is rolling out nine stories on games that defined a wondrous era of Memphis basketball. This is the final installment.
No. 9: Memphis takes the big stage at Madison Square Garden
No. 8: Darius Washington Jr. had three shots to lift Memphis into the NCAA Tournament
No. 7: The Tigers had an answer for Adam Morrison and Gonzaga. It took a village.
No. 6: Antonio Anderson’s clutch free throws send Memphis to Elite Eight
No. 5: The No. 1-ranked Tigers were in trouble against UAB. Real trouble followed.
No. 4: Top-ranked Memphis falls to No. 2 Tennessee, but Derrick Rose’s rise begins
No. 3: Michigan State, Texas wins were big ones before Memphis' really big one
Too soon?
Is it still too soon, Memphis?
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Geoff Calkins
Geoff Calkins has been chronicling Memphis and Memphis sports for more than two decades. He is host of "The Geoff Calkins Show" from 9-11 a.m. M-F on 92.9 FM. Calkins has been named the best sports columnist in the country five times by the Associated Press sports editors, but still figures his best columns are about the people who make Memphis what it is.
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